On-fire Rosenqvist takes two more Silverstone poles

Race 1 pole sitter Felix Rosenqvist continued his strong form by taking pole position for both race two and race three at season opening FIA European Formula 3 Championship event at Silverstone.

The Swede, the most experienced driver in the field, set the benchmark time in the second qualifying session of 1m51.087s to take race two pole, then took race three pole on the basis of his second fastest time of the session being the quickest time also.

The Prema Powerteam driver will be joined on the front row for both race two and three by Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc of Van Amersfoort Racing, who got within 0.061s of Rosenqvist with his best time of the session, although his second fastest lap was 0.291s slower.

George Russell will start race two from third position for Carlin, alongside stable mate Antonio Giovinazzi of Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, with the two switching places for race three – Giovinazzi ahead of Russell.

Alexander Albon will start fifth for both race two and three for Signature, and will be joined on the front row for both races by Frenchman Brandon Maisano, while row four will be filled by the final two Prema Powerteam entries of Jake Dennis and Lance Stroll.

Gustavo Menezes will start both races from ninth on the grid in the second Jagonya Ayam with Carlin entry, with the third of Ryan Tveter joining him on row five for race two, although the American racer drops to fourteenth on the grid for race three. Starting in tenth therefore will be Callum Ilott, with the Red Bull-backed Carlin driver showing good pace throughout his first ever single seater race weekend after stepping up from karting.

Unfortunately for another one of the Brits on the field, Sam MacLeod will start all three races from last on the grid after his Motopark team changed his engine between testing and this weekend against the regulations, and incurring the season’s first triple ten-place grid penalty, although he had not qualified higher than twenty-sixth on the grid all weekend.